Support Lawrence's Heart Transplant

On September 11th, 2015, we migrated to Washington State from the Philippines. On December 2015 Lawrence first met his cardiologist Dr. Christopher Belotti at Northwest Congenital Heart Care Clinic. At this time, Lawrence's lips, fingernails, and toenails were purple and he would get tired easily. An Echo, EKG, and cardiac catherizations were conducted. According to the medical findings Lawrence's heart was very complicated. It was one of the first cases of its nature the medical team had encountered in Washington State. This was the reason we were reffered to Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Standford (LPCH).

Lawrence underwent his first open heart surgery on February 28th, 2018 at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Standford

by cardiothoracic surgeon Frank Hanley MD. He conducted a unifocallization of collateral arteries, the procedure, was about 20 hours in the operating room. During this procedure, a central shunt was placed between the aorta and pulmonary artery and a pace maker was implanted. The second open heart surgery was February 2020 by surgeon Frank Hanley MD, where he condcuted a glenn procudure to remove the shunt from his right ventricle and reroute blood flow to his lungs to help relieve his symptoms of congestive heart failure. Dr. Frank Hanley told me that after a year there would be

one more surgery on his left ventricle. Because of the global pandemic the planned surgery was delayed.

In the years that followed, Lawrence was extremely fatigued when he walked 10-15 steps and experienced shortness of breath. I relayed to the cardiology team the changes that I had observed with Lawrence. On October 2021 we went back to LPCH for a cardiac catherization to check his pressure in the lungs and check the status of his heart. After the procudure the cardiology team presented the results to Dr. Frank Hanley. After the meeting they explained to me that instead of having another repair surgery for his left ventrincle, which was risky, the medical team recommended heart transplantation.

On March 2022 Lawrence went through a heart evaluation that lasted for three days. According to transplant cardiologist Dr. Sharon Chen, Lawrence's heart was very sick and weak. She told me that Lawrence needed to be admitted to LPCH. May 9th, 2022, Lawrence was admitted to LPCH for his complex single ventricle congenital heart disease, consisting of double outlet right ventricle with pulmonary atresia and major aorto-pulmonary collateral arteries, along with dextrocardia and situs inversus. Currently, Lawrence is listed as a status 1A patient on the heart transplant list. Lawrence is required to remain admited until time of transplant, which wait time is undertermined. During this time, he will be medically managed at LPCH to remain stable and eligible for transplant.

I am single mother of two sons that both are minors. It has always just been the two of us together since our arrival from the Phillipines in 2015. Since then, we have been together through Lawrence's multiple cardiac surgeries, cardiac catherizations and follow up appointments. Since Lawrence was admitted this May, I have not been able to work as I remain at the bedside as his primary caregiver. I don't know how I am going to be able to pay my bills such as apartment rent, electricity, internet, insurances etc. It's hard to get through all the obstacles but I'm just forcing myself to be able to do everything just to prolong my son's life. I want to see him do the things that he enjoys and is unable to do at this time because of is heart condition like basketball, football and running with his brother, cousin and friends. Although this is a scary experience for Lawrence he has shared that he is looking foward to the day he is transplanted so that he is able to run like other kids his age. He's already planning on joining his high scool basketball team once cleared from the medical team. Any support would be greatly appreciated as we endure this journey.